Sustainability

Founded in 1939 to preserve Fernbank Forest as a “school in the woods to teach nature studies,” Fernbank’s environmental legacy has evolved into a multidisciplinary educational curriculum that weaves science, environmental sustainability and an ethics of conservation into every facet of what we do. This legacy is magnified through a program of work that nurtures an empathetically human connection to nature and all life— ongoing sustainability practices that include recycling, water conservation and the implementation of new systems and technologies that promote energy efficiency and reduce the consumption of paper and other materials. Also, through intensive restoration work, Fernbank today is further distinguished by a healthy Fernbank Forest, which is 65 acres of primeval woodlands that, as a surviving old-growth Piedmont forest, is a beautiful example of Georgia’s quickly shrinking natural history.

Fernbank is proud to partner with leaders in the sustainability movement, such as GoodUse Grants, which have helped measurably advance our educational mission and empower our programs by investing in our conservation efforts.